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Israel's Chief of Military Intelligence, General Amos Yadlin, addressed the Jewish Agency on Monday, and expressed his view that the Jewish state should not withdraw from Judea and Samaria. Yadlin said he believed what happened in the Gaza Strip earlier this month would be repeated in Judea and Samaria, if Israel ever disengaged from that territory. He warned that a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority was not in Israel's best interests. Regarding the Iranian threat, Yadlin stated that he believed Israel had no need to fear a nuclear Iran, as Israel was "strong enough to handle any danger".

Quote:""Hamas does not want peace with Israel," he pointed out. "It is continuing its terrorist activities, and moderate Palestinians are unable to do anything about [the situation], even though they want peace." Yadlin added that he does not believe a political agreement with the PA is in Israel's best interest. "If Israel withdraws from the West Bank," he warned, "what happened in Gaza will happen there."

This news comes as Israeli Prime Minister Olmert boasts that he has created the prospect of peace from the overthrow of Fatah in the Gaza Strip. During his summit in Egypt with Palestinian, Jordanian and Egyptian representatives, the Israeli Prime Minister promised to release 250 Fatah prisoners from jail as part of a gesture to the maligned President Abbas. He also released over $350 million in tax revenues to help bolster the Palestinian Authority government.

Quote:""Within eight days Olmert has managed to turn the downfall of Fatah in the Gaza Strip into an opportunity for peace. He's got the backing of the United States, the Quartet and now the moderate Arab states as well," said a senior aide to the prime minister after the summit.

Some Israeli politicians criticized the move, claiming it will do nothing to strengthen Abbas, and will make Israel's security situation worse. And living in a state which has had its own share of prisoner release schemes, courtesy of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, I can understand that view completely. The Bible states that during the tribulation period, the situation in Judea will grow much worse. The Lord said of it, that then there would be "great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be", Matthew 24:21. We are not told the exact circumstances of what brings this about. But as the international community presses Israel to divide God's land, and Islamic extremism continues to fester in Gaza and other regions, it seems the situation can only grow worse.

Psalm 2:1-6 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [saying], Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.